Map of Central African Republic | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. In March 2003 President Ange-Felix PATASSE was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE who established a transitional government. Elections held in 2005 affirmed General BOZIZE as president; he was reelected in 2011 in voting widely viewed as flawed. The government still does not fully control the countryside where pockets of lawlessness persist. The militant group the Lord's Resistance Army continues to destabilize southeastern Central African Republic and several rebel groups joined together in early December 2012 to launch a series of attacks that left them in control of numerous towns in the northern and central parts of the country. The rebels - who are unhappy with BOZIZE's government - participated in peace talks in early January 2013 which resulted in a coalition government including the rebellion's leadership. In March 2013 the coalition government dissolved rebels seized the capital and President BOZIZE fled the country. Rebel leader Michel DJOTODIA assumed the presidency reappointed Nicolas TIANGAYE as Prime Minister and established a transitional government on 31 March. On 13 April 2013 the National Transitional Council affirmed DJOTODIA as President.


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Location: Central Africa north of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates: 7 00 N 21 00 E

Map reference

Area
Rank: 45
Land: 622,984 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries
Border countries: (6) Cameroon 901 km; Chad 1556 km; Democratic Republic of the Congo 1747 km; Republic of the Congo 487 km; South Sudan 1055 km; Sudan 174 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: tropical; hot dry winters; mild to hot wet summers

Terrain: vast flat to rolling monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest

Elevation
Extremes highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1420 m

Natural resources: diamonds uranium timber gold oil hydropower

Land use
Permanent crops: 0.13%
Other: 96.98% (2011)

Irrigated land: 1.35 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 144.4 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: hot dry dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common

Geography
Note: landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa


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Population: 5,277,959
Rank: 118
Growth rate: 2.13% (2013 est.)
Growth rate rank: 46
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Adjective: Central African

Ethnic groups: Baya 33% Banda 27% Mandjia 13% Sara 10% Mboum 7% M'Baka 4% Yakoma 4% other 2%

Languages: French (official) Sangho (lingua franca and national language) tribal languages

Religions: indigenous beliefs 35% Protestant 25% Roman Catholic 25% Muslim 15%

Demographic profile

Age structure
15-24 years: 20.1% (male 534,257/female 528,822)
25-54 years: 31.8% (male 838,484/female 838,858)
55-64 years: 3.9% (male 91,696/female 115,600)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 73,914/female 114,421) (2013 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 69.7 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 6.7 %
Potential support ratio: 14.8 (2013 est.)

Median age
Male: 19.1 years
Female: 19.8 years (2013 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.13% (2013 est.)
Rank: 46

Birth rate: 35.45 births/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 23

Death rate: 14.11 deaths/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 8

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 103

Population distribution

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 2.6% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: BANGUI (capital) 740,000 (2011)

Environment
Current issues: tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished the country's reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 4
Male: 100.55 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 84.93 deaths/1000 live births (2013 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 218
Male: 50.06 years
Female: 52.67 years (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.46 children born/woman (2013 est.)
Rank: 31

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 19% (2006)

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.05 physicians/1000 population (2009)

Hospital bed density: 1 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 4.7% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 14
People living with hivaids: 130,000 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 39
Deaths: 11,000 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 28

Major infectious diseases
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and E and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever
Respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
Water contact disease: schistosomiasis
Animal contact disease: rabies (2013)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 3.5% (2008)
Rank: 175

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 28% (2006)
Rank: 22

Education expenditures: 1.2% of GDP (2011)
Rank: 171

Literacy
Total population: 56.6%
Male: 69.6%
Female: 44.2% (2011 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 9 years
Female: 6 years (2012)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional short form: none
Local long form: Republique Centrafricaine
Local short form: none
Former: Ubangi-Shari Central African Empire
Abbreviation: CAR

Government type: republic

Capital
Geographic coordinates: 4 22 N 18 35 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 14 prefectures (prefectures singular - prefecture) 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques singular - prefecture economique) and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran Bangui** Basse-Kotto Haute-Kotto Haut-Mbomou Kemo Lobaye Mambere-Kadei Mbomou Nana-Grebizi* Nana-Mambere Ombella-Mpoko Ouaka Ouham Ouham-Pende Sangha-Mbaere* Vakaga

Dependent areas

Independence: 13 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Republic Day 1 December (1958)

Constitution: several previous; latest ratified by referendum 5 December 2004 effective 27 December 2004; amended 2010; note - the transitional parliament has begun work on a new constitution which should be ready for citizens feedback in early 2015 (2010)

Legal system: civil law system based on the French model

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Head of government: Interim Prime Minister Andre NZAPAYEKE (since 25 January 2013); note - he replaced Prime Minister Nicolas TIANGAYE who resigned 10 January 2013
Cabinet: Council of Ministers
Elections: interim president was elected by the National Transitional Council on 20 January 2013; she will be in office until February 2015 at the new general elections
Election results: in the second round Catherine SAMBA-PANZA was elected; SAMBA-PANZA 75 votes from the National Transitional Council Desire KOLINGBA 53 votes (129 MPs out of 135 voted): note: rebel forces seized the captial in March 2013 forcing former President BOZIZE to flee the country; Interim President Michel DJOTODIA assumed the presidency reinstated the prime minister established a transitional government and was subsequently affirmed as president by the National Transitional Council on 13 Apriil 2013; he resigned soon after because of racial violence in the country and was replced briefly by Interim President Alexandre-Ferdinand NGUENDET

Legislative branch: unicameral National Transitional Council to act as the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (105 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held on 23 January 2011 and 27 March 2011 (next to be held in February 2015)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president; Constitutional Court judge appointments - 2 by the president 1 by the speaker of the National Assembly 2 elected by their peers 2 are advocates elected by their peers and 2 are law professors elected by their peers; judges serve 7-year non-renewable terms
Subordinate courts: high courts; magistrates' courts

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU BDEAC CEMAC EITI (compliant country) FAO FZ G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF Interpol IOC IOM ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA NAM OIC OIF OPCW UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 483-7,800
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 332-9,893
From the us embassy: Avenue David Dacko Bangui
From the us mailing address: B. P. 924 Bangui
From the us telephone: [236] 21 61 02 00
From the us FAX: [236] 21 61 44 94

Flag description: four equal horizontal bands of blue (top) white green and yellow with a vertical red band in center; a yellow five-pointed star to the hoist side of the blue band; banner combines the Pan-African and French flag colors; red symbolizes the blood spilled in the struggle for independence blue represents the sky and freedom white peace and dignity green hope and faith and yellow tolerance; the star represents aspiration towards a vibrant future

National symbols: elephant

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Barthelemy BOGANDA/Herbert PEPPER

National heritage


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Economy overview: Subsistence agriculture together with forestry and mining remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR) with about 60% of the population living in outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates more than half of GDP. Timber and diamonds account for most export earnings followed by cotton. Important constraints to economic development include the CAR's landlocked position a poor transportation system a largely unskilled work force and a legacy of misdirected macroeconomic policies. Factional fighting between the government and its opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization. Since 2009 the IMF has worked closely with the government to institute reforms that have resulted in some improvement in budget transparency but other problems remain. The government's additional spending in the run-up to the election in 2011 worsened CAR's fiscal situation. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs. In 2012 the World Bank approved $125 million in funding for transport infrastructure and regional trade focused on the route between CAR's capital and the port of Douala in Cameroon. After a two year lag in donor support the IMF's first review of CAR's extended credit facility for 2012-15 praised improvements in revenue collection but warned of weak management of spending.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 178

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 221

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 224

Gross national saving:
Rank: 149

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 6.1%
Investment in fixed capital: 8.3%
Investment in inventories: 0%
Exports of goods and services: 9.7%
Imports of goods and services: -15.6%: (2013 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 14.5%
Services: 28.9% (2013 est.)

Agriculture products: cotton coffee tobacco cassava (manioc tapioca) yams millet corn bananas; timber

Industries: gold and diamond mining logging brewing sugar refining

Industrial production growth rate: -11% (2013 est.)
Rank: 193

Labor force: 2.082 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 121

Unemployment rate: 8% (2001 est.)
Rank: 86

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: 33% (2003)

Distribution of family income gini index: 61.3 (1993)
Rank: 5

Budget
Expenditures: $270.7 million (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -4.1% of GDP (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 152

Taxes and other revenues: 9.1% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 209

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 5.8% (2012 est.)
Rank: 188

Central bank discount rate: 4.75% (31 December 2008)
Rank: 78

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 15% (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 37

Stock of narrow money: $337.7 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 169

Stock of broad money: $421.6 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 184

Stock of domestic credit: $507.7 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 168

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance: -$197.6 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 79

Exports: $207.7 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 187
Commodities: diamonds timber cotton coffee
Partners: Belgium 31.7% China 27.9% Democratic Republic of the Congo 7.8% Indonesia 5.2% France 4.5% (2012)

Imports: $333.7 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 203
Commodities: food textiles petroleum products machinery electrical equipment motor vehicles chemicals pharmaceuticals
Partners: Netherlands 20.3% France 9.7% Cameroon 9.1% South Korea 9.1% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $632.7 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 171

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 160 million kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 186
Consumption: 148.8 million kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 191
Exports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 123
Imports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 131
Installed generating capacity: 44,000 kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 193
Generation sources fossil fuels: 43.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 166
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 70
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 56.8% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 35
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 170

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 162
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 100
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 174
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 119

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 133
Products consumption: 3,175 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 179
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 167
Products imports: 2,318 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 178

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 118
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 135
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 84
Imports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 179
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2013 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 126

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 293,900 Mt (2011 est.)

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 5,600 (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 209
Mobile cellular: 1.07 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 157

Telephone system
Domestic: limited telephone service with less than 1 fixed-line connection per 100 persons; spurred by the presence of multiple mobile-cellular service providers cellular usage is increasing from a low base; most fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone services are concentrated in Bangui
International: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2011)

Broadcast media: government-owned network Radiodiffusion Television Centrafricaine provides domestic TV broadcasting; licenses for 2 private TV stations are pending; state-owned radio network is supplemented by a small number of privately owned broadcast stations as well as a few community radio stations; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet
Country code: .cf
Hosts: 20 (2012)
Hosts rank: 221
Users: 22,600 (2009)
Users rank: 192

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for selective military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 39 (2013)
Rank: 106
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 11
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 19
With unpaved runways: 6 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Rank: 107

Waterways: 2,800 km (the primary navigable river is the Ubangi which joins the River Congo; it was the traditional route for the export of products because it connected with the Congo-Ocean railway at Brazzaville; because of the warfare on both sides of the River Congo from 1997 however routes through Cameroon became preferred by importers and exporters) (2011)
Rank: 35

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: periodic skirmishes over water and grazing rights among related pastoral populations along the border with southern Sudan persist

Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 551,600 (clashes between army and rebel groups since 2005; tensions between ethnic groups) (2013)

Illicit drugs